Dr Alba Reyes Review (Dominican Republic)

[zhairz]

Hey guys, long time lurker and first time poster. I have been losing my hair from a very early age (18-19) and I'm 33 now. I started taking finasteride around age 26 which successfully stopped my hair loss completely, but I was still living with a very thinned front region since about this age. I became a slave to Toppik.

 

While living in South America last year I went one week without fin and experienced severe thinning in the front of my head, I decided after this point that I would have to find a more permanent solution.

 

So, like many of you I read as much as I could online and watched as many videos and looked through as many photos as I could, analyzing every last detail. After a while I was finally scheduled in Istanbul for my surgery, where they estimated I would need roughly 2,000 grafts to repair my front hairline. I was excited, nervous, then dead set on not going due to the extreme civil unrest in Istanbul.

 

There are a couple of threads on here about Dr Alba Reyes, but absolutely nothing substantial. Two posts (as far as I've found) one simply asking a question about her, and another of a young man who was persuaded by everyone to not go out of sheer ignorance. It was therefore very difficult to find any information on this doctor or her clinic.

 

This is when I began instead searching in Spanish. The results were staggering, many interviews with her on national television, many celebrity transplants, and many phenomenal results. When I could no longer read anymore I sent an email with photos describing what I was looking for. To my surprise I received a phone call the next day from someone that spoke to me completely in English.

 

My confidence was already through the roof with all of the research I'd done so I quickly scheduled my visit for the following week. I was picked up from the airport by their driver and escorted to the hotel. I stayed at hotel Barcelo, originally part of my package with them but I chose to upgrade to a junior suite which gave me a wonderful view of the affluent part of Santo Domingo I would be staying in over the next 4 days.

 

I was picked up from the hotel at around 9:00AM, and was driven to the clinic only a couple of miles away. There I met with Vanessa and we went over the procedure before meeting with Dr Reyes. I was in with Dr Reyes by 9:30 and I had a wonderful time visiting with her. She drew out a plan for my hairline and was very open to all of my concerns, and open to adjusting the hairline if I disagreed with her (I didn't).

 

30 minutes later I was in for surgery and agreed to sleep for the length of time it would take on the first day. Roughly half of the grafts were implanted on the first day, and the remainder on the second.

 

I am absolutely ecstatic with how my hairline has come out, and the apparent density. I am on day 5 now and almost all of my scabs are gone. I am not using any chemicals on my scalp, only Emu oil and a Tea Tree oil & Aloe Vera shampoo which I let sit on my head for roughly 10 minutes. I do not agree with letting the implants on your head scab over and die of dehydration.

 

I know these stories are never as important as the photos, so I intend to keep you guys posted on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Below are my pre and post op photos.

 

2,700 grafts FUE + PRP (before, day of, 5 days post)

Edited August 2, 2016 by zhairz

[TakingThePlunge]

Welcome and thanks for sharing your case! Please keep us updated on your hair restoration journey. Happy Growing!

[Ernie]

Zhairz,

 

Your pre-op hair was identical to mine. Always nice to follow "similar MPB cases" as my own. Keep us/me updated! Good luck to you buddy.

[zhairz]

Thanks guys. I really think that keeping my head/hair hydrated during this time is having a hugely positive affect. Day 6 now most of the scabs pictured are gone and I have a fairly pink scalp with thousands of little hairs growing, very exciting.

[zhairz]

1 month update attached. I am keeping my hair short in an attempt to hide the difference between the front and back of my head - it isn't working

 

I am very happy with the way my hairline was designed. There are only subtle inequities in the hairline in contrast to some of the more erratic hairlines that were drawn on me locally in NY.

 

I have lost 25-30% of the transplanted grafts so far although it's difficult to see in the attached picture.

 

Will update this thread monthly for all interested in working with the wonderful Dr Alba Reyes.

[SKYLAR]

lookn good. how much did he charge for 2700 grafts

[gijedi]

Yes:

I'm surprised she doesn't show up more often on this forum.

I had 2,270 grafts/4631 hairs FUT surgery with her early 2015 and have been very pleased and impressed with the results. I'm very open to sharing that I've had a hair transplant and without exception the people that I tell can't believe I've had anything done.

I highly recommend her.

Cost is around $4-5K (you'd have to check with them for current pricing). It's a fixed pricing schedule irrespective of number of grafts.

[zhairz]

Yes:

I'm surprised she doesn't show up more often on this forum.

I had 2,270 grafts/4631 hairs FUT surgery with her early 2015 and have been very pleased and impressed with the results. I'm very open to sharing that I've had a hair transplant and without exception the people that I tell can't believe I've had anything done.

I highly recommend her.

Cost is around $4-5K (you'd have to check with them for current pricing). It's a fixed pricing schedule irrespective of number of grafts.

 

That's excellent. I actually received a price of $2 per graft which included hotel stay and transport to and from the clinic. I'm also surprised she isn't mentioned here more often but hope my review will encourage more people to visit the beautiful Dominican Republic to work with her and her talented staff.

 

I have created a new thread in the appropriate forum here-> for those interested in my long-term results.

[Castillo]

Hi, manual Fue or micro motor?

[zhairz]

Manual FUE

[Castillo]

Manual FUE

 

Thanks!

 

Do u have a pic of ur donor area?

Who performed the operation?

Dr. or assistants? :rolleyes:

[Knowledgefirst]

Do Not use Alva Reyes, look at my review on real self. I put pictures from over a year post op which few do and that really tells the story. Horrible experience. 

[Melvin- Admin]

12 hours ago, Knowledgefirst said:

Do Not use Alva Reyes, look at my review on real self. I put pictures from over a year post op which few do and that really tells the story. Horrible experience. 

Why don't you create a review on here?

[Knowledgefirst]

This was my review from real self, I’ll post the pics too. 

Went for an FUE transplant over a year ago, very shady process. Wife had to leave the facility, don't know what anesthesia was used as I was in and out of consciousness and something felt wrong. For 2500 FUE grafts the surgery was way to quick (4 hours) and I paid an additional $400 for PRP but they never took blood, it's all nonsense. Over one year later and it looks worse as confirmed by multiple transplant surgeons and experience shock loss because of Dr Reyes or shall I say her technicians. When i brought this to the attention of the doctor's office manager she replied that the doctor would follow up with me and a month later Vanessa the office manager reached out. Doctor never admitted it was a failure and tried to coax me into more nonsense, I refused to re-engage as I'm not going back to the Dominican republic and risking my life with this doctor yet again, just look at the news. 5k for a waste of time, effort, money. Stay away! Message me and I'll be happy to provide additional details.

[Knowledgefirst]

[gijedi]

On 9/17/2019 at 12:03 PM, Melvin-Moderator said:

Why don't you create a review on here?

Sorry about bad experience. There is no doubt that every single hair transplant MD will have suboptimal results from time to time. 

Re: Dr Alba Reyes-Sajiv I will say the following: I went to her only after two close friends of mine had had successful transplants with her. I had toured her facility and , as  an MD myself, found the facility up to proper standards. Would not have gone there otherwise. I had an FUT. They did PRP and I recall them drawing blood. Anesthesia was propofol based (they gave some midazolam and an IV narcotic prior). The results far exceeded my expectations, so much so that I then decided to do the crown.  I should have gone back to her for second procedure but chose to go to Indianapolis , rather than travel again, where results were ok. I wound up going to James Harris for unshaved FUE to finish filling in crown. See my prior posts for pics/details.  In summary, my experience with Reyes-Sajiv was flawless and I continue to recommend her.